This reply from MRT to a question on sluices and Doctors rocks prospecting today, sent to Jack Beltane. Coral
Conditions relating to Prospecting Licences state:

Only hand prospecting for material is allowed and only hand-held tools may be used. The use of mechanical machinery or any explosives is prohibited. The use of sluices and trommels and motorised pumps is not permitted. The licence will be withdrawn from any person breaching this condition. The use of suction dredges is illegal in Tasmania.

It seems unclear from the writing of this document, but the intent was to ban motorised sluices, not the small hand-held devices. The legislation was designed to restrict prospecting to hand-held equipment. But until this is re-written you may need to be a bit circumspect in their use. Otherwise there is nothing to prevent prospecting in the sea as long as it's not in a designated Park or Reserve, as long as you have a prospecting licence.

I use the "prospector", brilliant for trying a spot out and getting a nice pan full of concentrates to examine quickly. You can put 20 shovels through in 2 minutes, just gives a nice handy way to get a good sample.

Just wondering how much postage was for the bazooka sluice? its a great looking fluid bed sluice and i have been interested in trying one out for ages. Its just been if its approved for use down here and the expense to get it here.

With sluice box's in Tasmania, im happy to cop a fine to test them out in court. Mining may not be covered but our constitution but my right to equal is. Also how much does it weigh if possible?

We are the only Australian state you can not use a simple sluice box as a small scale artisanal prospector because the wording is illogical and unfair down here. Sluice box's dont do any damage. Shovels do.

The sluice box issue needs to be addressed. Still. I guess If Ralph Bottrill has problems understanding the grammatics of it on a scrap of paper. and we do too. They obviously have a tiny little problem that needs to be fixed. Not by making it worse.

The bureaucrats in Hobart obviously don't mind a zinc refinery on the Derwent river or the kids with iodine deficiencies in Lutana as a result. Or the families on the west coast apart for the ones that fudge the system. But me with a little wooden box, going over tailings and re worked gravels already disturbed by man and now regrown with 130 year old trees if you didn't know better would almost call pristine. The streams rapidly rebuilding gravels every time it rains or freezes or windy day or earth tremor event or interstella event Or a wallaby slips and rolls a pebble, that hits a rock, But me,, i cant. i sense a major social injustice. And protest is the only thing i can think of that will shame them enough into change.

too many people have written to them and been all nice about it for way too long.

Hi there, I actually have no idea what the postage was because my dear Mrs Razorback bought it for me as a present (probably to get me out of the house more ). But Im guessing there would be no change from $100, its quite light (5kgish), but quite large. 1.2m x 600 x 200 for the one I have.

Mrs says the seller was really good to deal with and helpful so maybe send em an email and see what happens.

It saves a lot of time, and I cant see how it creates any issues, it generates the same amount of turbidity per shovel as panning, the only advantage it has really is it holds a generous amount of concentrate in the one spot until your ready to pan it. Its more of a concentrator than a sluice too, so there is also that aspect in terms of how it fits in the law.

I agree with you... its a pile of red and green tape ... The streams I play in around the northeast are currently creating lots of new material for me to discover. Ringarooma, Cascade, Main Creek, Lyel etc are all romping right now.

same, and thanks. The only reference to sluice box's being banned internationally is canada and that is for fish spawn runs. They nominated rivers and creeks and not blanket ban every water course as our illustrious Mineral resources team have. I guess once the greens get smashed at this weekends election they may take another position.

Well done Phil. As predicted by everyone with a functioning brain, the greens have lost 30% support nation wide. Australians have woken up to the fact they they are clueless, planless and just have no regard for whats good for Australians, only whats good for inner city Melbourne trendies with a guilt complex over being human. Good job Australia.

Just a reminder to those panning around Doctors Rocks. I had a hell of a bad scare on Wed morning. I ended up with my hand in my separator giving the
sand rock and clay a good going over. While doing this, the murky water in the separator started flashing blue, got my hand out, right quick. Laying amongst, the
sand and stones was a Blue Ringed Octopus.
Just glad I had my gloves on, and will be looking at buying a pair of waders prior to my next visit.
There is no anti venom for their bites, if you are bitten you need to get your backside to a hospital ASAP (and no, Smithton doesn't count as a hospital)
The closest is North West Regional in Burnie. So it's best to have someone drive you, as an ambulance will probably take too long and you'll
have a proper excuse for doing 150 Km/hr. But it's your call.
BTW:
If you react badly you either die or end up intubated. This all costs more then all the gold you'll ever pan out of Dr's Rocks.

The Blue Ring Octopus is something i have never even considered to look out for. And will get some decent gloves i think. I have found a few baby crayfish in the gravels at doctors rocks, Only thing living i have found actually. but just return them. I guess the octopus eat them?